In the movie "A Few Good Men," a Navy lawyer named Daniel Kaffee, defends two Marines who have been accused of murder. The defense tries to prove that the victim Santiago was given a code red. Santiago wasn't the best Marine, he had trouble keeping up with his colleagues and was transferred to different bases because of his bad performance. The Marines don't tolerate a bad performance and expects each Marine to be at the same level as everyone else. Kaffee focuses on Santiago's Col. Nathan Jessup. Santiago was attacked by two marines in the middle of the night and had a rag stuffed in his mouth, and as a result died from respiratory problems at Guantanamo Marine Base. Kaffee suspects that Jessup ordered the two marines to perform a "code red". A code red was an unofficial, unsanctioned form of Marine Corps disciplinary action. The punishment is usually ordered by a member of the unit on someone who is out of step or not able to meet the corps' standards. In the movie A Few Good Men the code red leads to death. Kaffee would prefer to plead the case, but his partner Galloway warns him that if he makes a plea bargain Jessup will get away with murder. Kaffee listens to his partner and decides to try the case in court although he has no proof of who killed Santiago. Kaffee and his team were defending the marines saying they were just following Jessup's orders and had no intent to murder. These men never refused an order from their colonel because they honored the Marines and was very loyal to their codes. The two Marines was not found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder but are found guilty of conduct unbecoming a United States and are sentenced to dishonorable discharge and must leave the Marine Corps. Kaffee realizes that defending the Marines was the right thing to do. The Marines realize they didn't do the right thing regarding Santiago and they don't have to follow a code to live an honorable life.
